King Charles' New Balmoral Castle Plan Throws Wrench In Prince Andrew's Summer Vacation
King Charles III reportedly wants William, Prince of Wales to move into Royal Lodge, but there's one big hiccup in that plan — Charles' brother is still living there, and Prince Andrew is refusing to move out of the lavish home. And while Sarah Ferguson's recovery from breast cancer has apparently put a pin in Andrew's moving plans, Andrew may now be denied access to his typical summer escape — Balmoral Castle.
King Charles has decided to allow tourists to visit Balmoral Castle for an extra two weeks. It will now be open for visitors through August 16; it's usually only open from April through July. Those first two weeks of August just happen to be the same time that Andrew is used to staying at Balmoral Castle along with his ex-wife Ferguson and their children Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, per Daily Mail. So it sounds like Andrew will have to make other plans for his summer break.
Keeping Balmoral Castle open is apparently about money, not limiting Prince Andrew's vacation
After Balmoral Castle is closed to visitors in mid-August 2023, King Charles III will be staying at his property on the same site. Prince Andrew would seemingly be able to come and stay, but only if he got an invitation from the king. There are 52 bedrooms on the property, so they could, theoretically, all be there together. But there could be some awkwardness considering the king still wants his brother to move out of Royal Lodge.
Staying at Balmoral Castle and enjoying the peace and beauty of the Scottish Highlands was an annual summer tradition for Queen Elizabeth II, and Balmoral was one of her favorite places, so the castle surely holds fond memories for both Charles and Andrew.
Having the castle open for an extra two weeks is a money-making move by the king; the castle costs £3 million to maintain. And while ticket costs don't cover all of that expense, it definitely helps. Tickets cost £16.50 and the castle gets tens of thousands of visitors a year to wander through the grounds, gardens, and stables — only the ballroom is currently available within the castle itself.